


Timing

by SailingOnANotebook



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Fluff, Gift, M/M, Mistletoe, Shopping, Snow, Strangers, present
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 03:27:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16884762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailingOnANotebook/pseuds/SailingOnANotebook
Summary: Eiji's doing last minute shopping for Ibe's Christmas present. He bumps into a kind stranger. Prompt written for Banana Fishmas!





	Timing

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a little thing for Banana Fishmas!

Eiji always had bad timing. He couldn't help his himself and he often said that it wasn't his fault. _The world's conspiring against me._ Now is no different. A blanket of snow had already settled in New York, so he ran down the street as carefully as he could, trying to get himself where he needed to be. He didn't want to slip on ice _again_.

The thing was Eiji wasn't the only thing that had bad timing, almost everything he associated him with had bad timing. His online order for Ibe's Christmas present got cancelled this morning which means now he had to run around like a maniac to get what he needed. It didn't help that it was Christmas Eve and in less than an hour, all the shops would be closing.

Usually he wouldn't have minded, he would explain the situation to Ibe and he would understand. But this year Eiji knew Ibe got him something he's wanted and not having a gift to return was not acceptable in Eiji's books. He had to get him something nice. He ordered the perfect gift online and it was meant to come just in time for Christmas. He probably should've ordered it a month or two before, but he never thought that far into the future. He paid for express delivery and everything, but the _stupid company gave me my money back! I don't want my money back! I want the present!_

He rushed into another store hoping they had something from Ibe’s favourite photographer, may it be an album to a measly little postcard. This was his last chance. Luckily, Eiji had managed to find a camera lens flask from a quirky stationery shop.

Eiji continued to scour around the shop, trying hard not to bump into anyone or anything. He was managing well until -

"Agh! Sorry! I'm so sorry!" He apologised as he skirted another corner and collided into a boy that was a few inches taller than him.

The boy had pretty good reflexes, so he managed to catch himself and Eiji before they descended into a pile of limbs. However, they knocked against the shelf and caused a book to tumble down.

"It's okay," the stranger assured in a baritone voice. He picked up the book and he sighed in relief. "I was actually going to reach this. Thank you."

Eiji nodded and looked down because he could feel his cheeks reddening. He had an intense emerald gaze that seemed to look directly into his soul.

"No... problem," he trailed and gave an amiable smile. The boy smiled back, it wasn't as large as Eiji’s but equally as genuine. Noticing his tousled blond locks and handsome face, Eiji’s heart started to beat faster.

_Hey, he's hot._

Her cheeks reddened more at the thought and he looked away, starting to gaze at the things on the shelf. Fortunately, the boy didn't linger and went to the front of the store to purchase the item.

Eiji looked at his wristwatch. The shop will be closing in 10 minutes, so he had to be quick. He went on his tiptoes to read the item labels from the higher shelves and grinned when he saw the album he was after. He reached up, but all his hand met was air. He frowned, there weren't any more left. _Doesn't matter, I can ask if there is more in stock._

He made his way through the store and asked the employee at the counter. He said that a young man, with blonde hair, brought the last one a few minutes before.

His mouth widened in shock. He scooted away from the cashier and stumbled out of the store.

_He had the last one?! It was in my grasp! I should've just picked it up! What else could I get for Ibe?_

Eiji felt overwhelmed with the feeling to cry. He couldn't do one thing right. All he wanted to do was get an adequate gift for Ibe and he couldn't even do that. He watched the stores around his close their shutters and he could see the employees starting to go home, it made his stomach flip.

He felt horrible. He knew he was always causing trouble for Ibe, especially after forcing him to take him to New York with him. He wanted to use Christmas and his birthday as a way to thank him. He continued to lumber down the streets, the Christmas lights looked like fireflies making his lips tip up slightly.

Christmas was one of his favourite holidays. The merriment was contagious and had his singing Christmas carols from the beginning of November. But now, after he ruined everything, he didn't want it to be Christmas at all. Maybe in a few days when the new year was coming, he could make a resolution to be better prepared next year.

Soon, he found small snowflakes dancing in the air. It was snowing again making Eiji smile. He brushed away a stray tear that fell and gazed upwards as he turned around a corner. For the second time, he bumped into someone. "Sorry..." he mumbled. he looked up and met the pair of emerald eyes from earlier. "I'm not very good at looking where I'm going."

The darkening sky meant that the blond-haired boy couldn't see the blush on his cheeks. Instead of glowering at him, the boy gave him a soft smile. "It's okay," he assured. "Are you still in a rush?"

Eiji shook his head. Another tear slipped from the corner of his eye which he hastily wiped away, hoping that blond-haired boy missed it. But he hadn't, his features contorted in concern. "Is everything okay?"

Eiji paused, unsure if he should say anything, but the worried glance of the boy made him speak. "I'm just being silly. I've tried to get someone important a Christmas present today because I found out the online order was cancelled." He didn't know why he was sharing his problems with this attractive stranger, especially because he was one of them.

_Stupid boy, did you have to take the last album?_

"What were you looking for?" He asked.

"Something to do with his favourite photographer, he's a photographer himself," he explained and then twisted his lips into a pout. He started to look away, there was something worshipful in the blond-haired boy’s gaze and it made him either want to continue staring or look away.

He wondered why the blond-haired boy cared so much. What did Eiji look like in his eyes?

"This, by any chance?"

In one swift movement, he took out the album from the carrier bag and waved it in front of him. He noticed his lips were half smiling and half smirking.

He wanted to say no, but he had no reason to lie to the stranger. "I was hoping to get something like that," he muttered, trying to sound nonchalant.

The blond-haired boy continued to stare at him and Eiji wondered if he had ever been told that it was rude, you know to stare so much. Eiji’s cheeks started to tinge pink again - he hoped to blame it on the bitter weather - he couldn't decide if he felt flattered or self-conscious.

"Have it."

"What?" Eiji exclaimed. his eyes widened in shock. He hadn't expected that to happen.

"You need it for someone important, I was getting it for myself."

"But it's yours. You got it first, you bought it -"

"And I'm giving it to you. You look like you need it more than I do. I can get it again when it's back in stock."

Eiji tried to protest but the perfect stranger didn't have any of it. He was in a particularly altruistic mood. He always liked to help someone whenever he could. The fact it was Christmas time and that the boy had the warmest eyes he'd ever seen made him want to help his more.

"Okay, fine but let me pay you -"

He shook his head. "I won't accept it. Consider it a Christmas gift."

Eiji huffed and it made him chuckle. _He's so cute._

Eiji bit his lip gently, the blond-haired boy’s chuckle warming him in a way his jacket couldn't. "I - I don't know what to say... thank you very much! Do you want to grab a coffee or something? As - as a thank you. There's a cafe just down the road that isn't closed yet." It was the café Eiji was hoping to mope in for the rest of the evening.

The blond-haired boy nodded, his lips stretching in a smile. Eiji led the way, constantly thanking him again and again for giving him the album. He now had the perfect present for Ibe. The snow was still falling gently, coating the two strangers as they strolled down the street.

The blond-haired boy pushed open the door to the quaint cafe and gestured Eiji to enter inside. He slipped through and let the sweet smell of hot beverages and delicacies greet him.

But for some reason everyone attention in the shop was on the duo, making their eyebrows furrow. The barista had a broad smirk plastered on his lips and looked pointedly above them.

The two looked up and saw mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. They shrunk into themselves, wanting to get out of it but everyone beckoned them to do so. Eiji looked over to the boy and saw red flirting on his cheeks. It melted his heart and made him close his eyes and lean forward, hoping and waiting for his lips to meet his.

And they did.

A delicious coolness spread through him and both of them agreed with the way their lips slanted against each other. The kiss lingered on making the customers and cafe staff cheer, bringing to two back to the cafe. They pulled away and found that during the kiss Eiji's free hand had found the blond-haired boy's chest and his hand was on his waist.

Eiji peered at him, his cheeks were alight, and he found that he didn't know what else to do except pressing his lips to the boy’s once again. His lips curved into a smile as the boy kissed him back, his hold on him tightening slightly.

Once they broke apart again, everyone in the cafe had already gotten back to what they were doing and Eiji realised something.

"Oh, I'm Eiji by the way."

He chuckled, the hearty sound was music to Eiji’s ears. "I'm Ash."

Eiji's smile widened, thinking that maybe his timing wasn't so bad after all.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, I feel as if Ash and Eiji meeting in New York should have been something like this.


End file.
